Floor treating device with articulated handle



sept- 1965 F. s. GREENE ETAL 3,204,272

FLOOR TREATING DEVICE WITH ARTICULATED HANDLE Filed Dec. 28, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS 5 N Ever E66 W SML 0 wsm w rd M R $2 mefia T Y B p 1965 F. s. GREENE ETAL 3,204,272

FLOOR TREATING DEVICE WITH ARTICULATED HANDLE Filed Dec. 28, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS GEEENE Julian/seal F BEDEEIC En L PH 0.

61/5117, E. LOFGEEA/ JOHN J. Mot/GMT) THEIR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,204,272 FLOOR TREATING DEVICE WITH ARTICULATEI) HANDLE Frederic S. Greene, Stamford, Conn., Ralph A. Johanson, White Plains, N.Y., and Gustaf E. Lofgren, Riverside, and John J. Moughty, Old Greenwich, Conn., assignors to Electrolux Corporation, Old Greenwich, (301111., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 28, 1962, Ser. No. 248,130 Claims. (Cl. 1549) Our invention relates to a floor treating device, such as a floor polisher, which includes a relatively heavy base portion adapted to be moved about on the floor during use and which is also carried about from place to place.

A device of this type is provided with a manipulating handle, the lower end of which is pivotally connected to the base portion. Such a handle is primarily designed for moving the floor polisher back and forth over the floor during polishing. When it is necessary to move the floor polisher from one location to another, particularly it going up or down stairs, it is necessary to carry it by this same handle, but in the past the manipulating handle has not been designed for carrying the device. The handle is much too long to permit lifting the device from the floor by grasping the handle grip portion thereof, and if the handle is grasped at a mid-point, a strong grip is required on the vertical portion of the handle and the upper end is apt to hit the shoulders or head of the operator as it is swung back and forth by the relatively heavy base. Furthermore, with a handle of this type it is usually necessary to have it detached from the base portion during shipment, which of course necessitates assembly after the device has been delivered to the home of the purchaser.

In order to overcome the foregoing disadvantages, we provide in accordance with the present invention an articulated handle comprising an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower end of the lower portion is pivotally connected to the base in the usual manner and its upper end is provided with a hand grip which is at a convenient height for carrying the device. The lower end of the upper portion is pivotally connected to the upper end of the lower portion and the two portions may be locked in a substantially rigid straight line position, or the upper portion may be folded down more or less parallel to the lower portion. The normally upper end of the upper portion is provided with a hand grip which is used to manipulate the device about the floor when the two portions are rigidly locked together, but when it is desired to carry the device the upper portion is folded down out of the way so that the high point of the device is at the carrying handle at the upper end of the lower portion. This arrangement also makes it possible to fold the handle portions so as to greatly reduce the length of the carton required to pack the unit with handle attached. This of course makes it unnecessary to assemble the handle to the base portion after delivery to the customer.

Also, if the device is sold by home demonstrations, the foldable handle makes it much easier for the salesman to place it in his automobile for transporting it from home to home.

Further objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of the present specification and of which;

FIG. 1 is a rear View of a floor polisher embodying our invention with the handle portions locked in rigid straight line position;

FIG. 2 is a view on an enlarged scale of a portion of I the device shown in FIG. 1, but with the handle portions Patented Sept. 7, 1965 ice FIG. 1 with the upper handle section pivoted downwardly;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the polisher shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 55 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the lines 66 of FIG. 1 and FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 7--7 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 8 is a side view of the floor polisher shown in the preceding figures with the handle sections folded to a position convenient for packing in a shipping carton.

Referring to the drawings, reference character 10 designates generally a base portion including a housing 12 for an electric motor which is arranged to rotate a plurality of surface treating elements 14 which may be polishing brushes. Pivotally attached to the base by means of pivot pins 16 are the lower ends of legs 18 of a lower handle portion designated generally by reference character 20. The upper ends of legs 18 are connected together by a transversely extending portion 22, which may be appropriately termed a carrying hand grip.

A releasable latch 24 is pivotally mounted near the lower end of one of the legs 18 and has a spring biased arm 26 which engages a pin 28 projecting from the side of motor housing 12 when the handle portion is in a vertical position, as is shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. The latch also includes a treadle portion 30 which may be depressed by the foot to release the arm 26 from the pin 28, whereupon the lower handle portion 20 may be pivoted with respect to the base portion 10 to a desired angle, as is shown in FIG. 8. An electric switch 32 may be associated with the pivotal mounting of one of the legs 18 so that the switch is in the off position when the handle portion 20 is vertical, and is turned to the on position whenever the lower handle portion is pivoted away from the vertical position. Thus, the circuit of electric motor is automatically opened whenever the handle portion 20 is locked in its vertical position, and is automatically closed whenever the handle portion 20 is lowered.

Reference character 36 designates generally an upper handle portion comprising a pair of arms 38 which are joined together at the upper ends by means of a transverse portion 40, which conveniently may be termed a manipulating hand grip. As shown, the portion 40 is made up of two parts which are disposed at an angle such that the wrists of the operator assume a natural position when grasping them. Both the lower portion 20 and the upper ortion 36 are made of hollow tubular stock in order to provide the maximum strength with the minimum weight. As will be seen particularly from FIGS. 1, 5 and 7, the lower ends of the arms 38 are collapsed, as is shown at 42, so that the inwardly facing surfaces are concave and have a radius substantially equal to the outer radius of the tubular legs 18. The concave lower ends of the arms 36 are pivotally connected to the convex upper ends of the legs 18 by means of pins 44 which extend through suitable openings formed in the respective parts. As seen particularly in FIG. 6, the shanks 45 of pins 44 are non-circular and the openings 47 in the legs 18 are of similar shape so as to prevent rotation of the pins relative to the legs. However, the enlarged portions of the pins 44 are circular so that the arms 38 may rotate thereon. The outer ends of the pins are provided with heads 46 which bear against the outer surfaces of the lower ends of arm 38, while the inner ends of the shanks 45 of the pins are pivotally connected to locking cams 48. As will be seen particularly from FIGS. 5 and 7, pivot pins 50 extend through openings at the inner ends of shanks 45 and engage the locking cams 48 off center. Thus, with the handles 52 of the locking cams in the lower position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the major width of each locking cam is disposed between the pin 50 and the adjacent leg 18. This serves to draw the pivot pins 44 inwardly so as to cause the concave surfaces at the lower ends 42 of the arms 38 to closely embrace the convex surfaces of the legs 18, thus locking the two handle portions in substantially rigid straight line position. Each cam 48 is formed with a groove 51 which fits the contour of leg 18. As is shown in FIG. 1, each groove has a straight portion on either side of the cam joined by a curved portion, so that the cam will tend to remain in either extreme position with a straight portion in contact with the adjacent leg 18.

If the locking earns 48 are pivoted through approximately 180 so that the manipulating handles 52 extend upwardly, as is shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 7, the minor width of each cam is between the pin 50 and the adjacent leg 18, and hence the pins 44 may move outwardly, which they do because the resiliency of the upper handle portion 36 at all times tends to spread the lower ends of the arms 38 apart, as is shown particularly in FIG. 2. As shown in this figure, the concave surfaces of the arms 38 are entirely free of the legs 18 and hence the upper portion 36 may be pivoted downwardly with respect to the lower potrion 20 to either the full line or the dotted line positions shown in FIG. 3. With the upper handle portion 36 in either of these positions the device may be easily carried from place to place by grasping the carrying hand grip 22, which is at a convenient height to lift the base portion from the floor. Due to the fact that the upper portion 36 is now folded downwardly, it is entirely out of the way and does not interfere with the operators head or shoulders.

An electric cord 56 is provided for supplying power to i the motor within the housing 12. This cord is attached to the upper end of the lower handle portion 20 at the neighborhood of the pivotal connection between the upper and lower portions by means of a suitable clamp 58. One of the arms 38 of the upper portion is provided with a pair of brackets 60 around which the remaining portion of the cord 56 may be wound for storage. The cord may be conveniently wound while the upper portion of the handle is still in its upper locked position, and the cord may remain on the brackets 60 when the upper handle portion 36 is pivoted to its lower carrying position, as its shown in FIG. 4. Due to the fact that the cord is fastened to the handle in the neighborhood of the pivot between the two handle portions there will be no slack cord resulting from pivoting the two handle portions.

When the polisher is in use, the cord extends from the clamp 58 down to the floor and across the latter to a suitable electric outlet. Due to the fact that the cord is secured by the clamp, it is held off the floor immediately behind the base 10, and hence the latter may be moved back and forth without the cord being engaged by the rotating brushes 14.

In order to apply wax to the floor being treated it is convenient to provide a wax sprayer, such as is indicated generally by the reference character 64, and which includes a liquid wax container 66 to which is attached a sprayer head 68 having a manipulating handle 70. A bracket 80 is pivotally mounted by means of a pin 82 on one of the arms 38 of the upper handle portion 36 so as to removably retain the sprayer 64 in a position within convenient reach of the operator. As shown, this bracket includes a circular base 84 for receiving the lower end of the bottle 66 and a spring clamp 88 for removably engaging the neck of the sprayer head 68. Due to the pivotal connection provided by the pin 82 near the upper end of the bracket 80, the bracket and sprayer 64 will remain in a vertical position regardless of the pivotal position of the upper portion 36, as will be seen by comparing FIG. 1 with FIG. 3 or 4. Thus, the sprayer 64 may be left attached to the handle when the latter is in folded condition without any danger that the liquid wax in the bottle 66 will leak out through the sprayer head 68. Particularly with the sprayer and cord stored on the upper portion of the handle, the floor polisher may be stored in a closet or the like more conveniently with the upper portion folded down where it is out of the way and the center of gravity is lowered.

In FIG. 8, the floor polisher is shown in a condition convenient for packing in a single carton, and also for placing in the trunk compartment of an automobile. The latch 24 has been released so that the lower portion 20 may be pivoted downwardly with respect to the base portion 10 and the locking cams 48 have been released so that the upper portion 36 of the handle may be pivoted to the position shown. When packed in a carton both portions of the handle are retained in the position shown in FIG. 8 by means of suitable packing material provided in the carton for this purpose. As shown, the electric cord preferably is not wound around the brackets 60 when the machine is packed, but is coiled underneath the handle portions. Also, the sprayer 64 is not mounted in the bracket 80, but is packed elsewhere, and if desired the bracket itself may be removed from the handle for packing.

While we have shown and described one more or less specific embodiment of our invention, it is to be understood that this has been done for the purpose of illustration only and that the scope of our invention is not to be limited thereby, but is to be determined from the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a floor polisher, a base portion including an electric motor operatively connected tosurface treating means, a pivotally jointed handle including a lower section and an upper section, said lower ection comprising substantially parallel legs joined at their upper ends by a transverse ca-rrying hand grip portion, means for pivotally securing the lower end of each leg to said base about a pivotal axis disposed near the center of said base, said upper section comprising substantially parallel arms joined at their upper ends by a transverse manipulating hand grip portion, means for pivotally securing the lower ends of said arms to the upper ends of the respective legs so that said sections may be folded with respect to each other with said manipulating hand grip portion adjacent to said base, means for releasably locking the two sections in substantially rigid straight line postion, an electric cord holder on said upper section, an electric cord connected to said motor, the major portion of said cord being storable on said holder when said sections are in either straight line or folded positions, means for securing said cord to said lower section in the neighborhood of the pivotal connection between said sections, and means for releasably locking said lower section in an upright position with respect to said base portion.

2. In a floor polisher, a base ortion including an electric motor operatively connected to surface treating means, a pivotally jointed handle including a lower section and an upper section, said lower section comprising substantially parallel legs joined at their upper ends by a transverse carrying hand grip portion, means for pivotally securing the lower end of each leg to said base about a pivotal axis disposed near the center of said base, said upper section comprising substantially parallel arms. joined at their upper ends by :a transverse manipulating hand grip ortion, means for pivotally securing the lower ends of said arms to the upper ends of the respectivelegs so that said section may be folded with respect to each other with said manipulating hand grip portion adjacent to said base, means for releasably locking the two sections in substantially rigid straight line position, and means for releasably locking said lower section in an upright position with respect to said base portion.

3. In a floor olisher, a base portion including an electric motor operatively connected .to surface treating means, a pivotally jointed handle including a lower section and an upper section, said lower section comprising s'ubs'tan-.

5 tially parallel legs joined at their upper ends by a transverse carrying hand gri portion, means for pivotally securing the lower end of each leg to said base about a pivotal axis disposed near the center of said base, said upper section comprising substantially parallel arms joined at their upper ends by a transverse manipulating hand grip portion, means for pivotally securing the lower ends of said arms to the upper ends of the respective legs so that said sections may be folded with respect to each other with said manipulating hand grip portion adjacent to said base, the lower ends of said arms and the upper ends of said legs having matching convex and concave surfaces, said concave surfaces being semi-cylindrical, said upper section being resilient so as to tend to disengage said surfaces, cam means for holding said surfaces in engagement for locking the two handle sections in substantially rigid straight line position, and means for releasably locking said lower section in an upright position with respect to said base portion.

4. In a floor polisher, a base portion including an electric motor oper-atively connected to surface treating means, a pivotally jointed handle including a lower section and an upper section, said lower section comprising substantially parallel legs joined at their upper end-s by a transverse carrying hand grip portion, means for pivotally securing the lower end of each leg to said base about a pivotal axis disposed near the center of said base, said upper section comprising substantially parallel arms joined at their upper ends by a transverse manipulating hand grip portion, means for pivotally securing the lower ends of said arms to the upper ends of the respective legs so that said sections may be folded with respect to each other with said manipulating hand grip portion adjacent to said base, the upper end of each leg having a convex surface, the lower end of each arm having a semi-cylindrical concave surface matching said convex surface, said legs being disposed between said arms and said upper section being resilient so as to tend to spread said arms away from said legs, cam means for forcing said arms towards said legs to hold said matching surfaces in engagement to thereby lock the two handle sections in substantially rigid straight line position, and means for releasably locking said lower section in an upright position with respect to said base portion.

5. In a floor polisher, a base portion including an electric motor opena-tively connected to surface treating means, a pivotally jointed handle including a lower section and an upper section, said lower section comprising substantially parallel legs joined at their upper ends by a transverse carrying hand grip portion, means for pivotally securing the lower end of each leg to said base about a pivotal axis disposed near the center of said base, said upper section comprising substantially parallel arms joined at their upper ends by a transverse manipulating hand grip portion, the upper end of each leg having a convex surface, the lower end of each arm having a semi-cylindrical concave surface matching said convex surface, said legs being disposed between said arms and said upper sectionbeing resilient so as to tend to spread said arms away from said legs, pivot pins extending through the respective arms and legs in the regions of said surfaces so that said handle sections may be folded with respect to each other with said manipulating hand grip portion adjacent to said base, cam members on said pivot pins and rotatable to bear against said legs to pull said arms inwardly towards said legs to hold said matching surfaces in engagement for thereby locking the two handle sections in substantially rigid straight line position, and means for releasably locking said lower section in an upright position with respect to said base portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,918,519 7/33 Clements 15-410 X 1,920,624 8/33 Bilde 15-49 2,591,716 4/52 Murphy 222-191 X 2,727,753 12/55 Johnson et al 16-110 X 2,769,996 11/56 Shalvoy et al 15-323 2,821,258 1/58 Benson et a1 15-410 X 2,822,566 2/58 Eberhart 15-410 2,832,978 5/58 Mann et al. 15-50 2,854,686 10/58 Hansen 15-323 X 2,892,203 6/59 Brennan et al 15-49 X 2,911,661 11/59 Bales 15-98 2,946,071 7/60 Nilsson 15-323 X 3,021,983 2/ 62 Blocksom 222-191 3,136,574 6/64 Pasquale 16-110 X 3,144,258 8/64 Ottosen et a1 16-110 X CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. 

2. IN A FLOOR POLISHER, A BASE PORTION INCLUDING AN ELECTRIC MOTOR OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SURFACE TREATING MEANS, A PIVOTALLY JOINTED HANDLE INCLUDING A LOWER SECTION AND AN UPPER SECTION, SAID LOWER SECTION COMPRISING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL LEGS JOINED AT THEIR UPPER ENDS BY A TRANSVERSE CARRYING HAND GRIP PORTION, MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY SECURING THE LOWER END OF EACH LEG TO SAID BASE ABOUT A PIVOTAL AXIS DISPOSED NEAR THE CENTER OF SAID BASE, SAID UPPER SECTION COMPRISING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL ARMS JOINED AT THEIR UPPER ENDS BY A TRANSVERSE MANIPULATING HAND GRIP PORTION, MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY SECURING THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID ARMS TO THE UPPER ENDS OF THE RESPECTIVE LEGS SO THAT SAID SECTIONS MAY BE FOLDED WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER WITH SAID MANIPULATING HAND GRIP PORTION ADJACENT TO SAID BASE, MEANS FOR RELEASABLY LOCKING THE TWO SECTIONS IN SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID STRAIGHT LINE POSITION, AND MEANS FOR RELEASABLY LOCKING SAID LOWER SECTION IN AN UPRIGHT WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASE PORTION. 